Mai Chau – Pu Luong Trek 5 days

•    Duration: 5 days/4 nights
•    Group size: 1 – 8pax
•    Transport: car
•    Route: Hanoi – Mai Chau – Ninh Binh – Hanoi

Mai Chau is famous for its beautiful mountains and valleys of the Thai people. Pu Luong is still unspoiled and outstanding with its biodiversity value, a globally important example of a lowland limestone forest ecosystem, covered by rich tropical forest.

Day 1: Hanoi – Mai Chau – Pu Luong (~ 170 km & 3hour walk) (L,D)

Depart from your Hanoi hotel at 8:00 am transferring to Mai Chau. Daydream as we drive a safe route with spectacular views around every bend. Upon arrival at Poom Coom village in Mai Chau, we will take a short walk to visit the ethnic Thai people, then lunch will be served at local home.

By 1:00 pm take a quick ride (15 minutes) to the Ma river, where we will take a short boat trip followed by a 2 to 3 hour walk through beautiful hill side villages, magnificent rice paddies, seeing hand crafted bamboo water wheels. The highlight on this walk is experiencing the beauty of Pu luong Nature Reserve, the everyday life and culture of the white Thai people. Become a part of local life when we are welcomed as honored guests at a traditional Thai home on stilts. Here in Hang village we will have a traditional dinner and stay the night.

Inclusion: entrances fee, lunch, dinner, permit, local boat

Day 2: Hike to Eo Ken & Kho Muong villages (B,L,D)

Here, daily life starts early. It will be interesting for you to get up, take part in your host family’s activities in the morning, take an opportunity to stroll around Hang village before having breakfast served by Thai people. Start our trek at 8 a.m. Today we will be walking for a approximately 5 to 6 hrs. The first hiking is hard with some steep climbs and yet more stream crossings, the next is really glorious with beautiful views of valley, rice terraces, rich rain forest.

Picnic lunch on the way at Eo Ken village. Arrival in Kho Muong- the setting of the village is perhaps the most beautiful in Vietnam nestled between steep karst mountains and nice terraces in the afternoon. Spend our second night in a typical Thai eco – stilt house in Kho Muong.

Inclusion: guide, homestay, all meals

Day 3: Trek to Nua and Hin villages (B,L,D)

Having breakfast, then start for a harder full day of hiking. Continue on through the valley. There are some steep climbs and yet more stream crossings. Trek to an incredible cave, only recently discovered and now protected by the Forest rangers. The trekking becomes more remote yet one is never far from a villager tending fields, passing steep limestone mountain, rain forest inside the Pu Luong Nature Reserve to Nua village. After a rough trek, what is more refreshing than a cool stream .This will surely bring you a new experience. Stream bathing! Then picnic lunch will be served here.

Relax from the heat of the day before continuing on to Hin – the village of Thai people in the afternoon. We will be welcomed as honored guests. Have dinner with local people at their traditional house. Free time for you to talk and learn their traditional customs and culture. Prepare picnic lunch for the next day.

Inclusion: guide, homestay, all meals,

Day 4: Hike to Son village (B,L,D)

Leave Hin village after having breakfast at Thai people, we will start for a full day trek to Son village. Climbing up hardly, we will get in deeper inside the Pu luong Nature Reserve with wild and rich tropical forest, having picnic lunch on the way. Continuing our trek passing through Ba beautiful village to Son village when the “sunset” – if it does not rain. Take a break and stretch your legs on the house on stilt of Thai people or strolling round this village and get in contact with hospitable friendly local people here. Dinner and overnight in Son village.

Inclusion: guide, homestay, all meals,

Day 5: Trek to Ton village then van to Hanoi (B,L)

Breakfast is prepared by guide then we start our trek at 8:00 am to Ton village. Today we will have a nice and easier trek, just a bit up and down through rice paddies, jungle fever. After 2.5 hours we get to Ton village. Driver will pick us up and transfer to Muong Khen town for lunch. Arrive and end in Hanoi in the afternoon.